Theatre Royal

There has been a theatre on or adjoining this site since 1758. After a fire in 1935, the present theatre was built to the designs of W H Barton from the Odeon office - its auditorium has a cinema ‘feel’ to it. The street or north elevation is brick, modern and very plain, with its five bays marked by three-quarter height pilasters. The ground floor is clad in white PVC-coated sheet steel in a manner imitative of channelled stucco. There is a similarly clad canopy running full width. The building is crowned by a storey of open timber framing, masking mechanical roof plant. To the right is a narrow, two-storey, steel-clad service bay. To the left is the two-storey entrance wing. The entrance doors are covered by a canopy set at the same height as that to the auditorium block. The new stage house is clad in coated steel and has a segmental metal roof. The entrance foyer and associated public spaces are part restorations of the original 1935 decor and part later work inspired by that style. The Art-Deco auditorium is proportionately quite wide; there is a deep, moulded plaster cornice which supports a circular ceiling panel. The four original boxes are unused: the fronts of those nearer the dress circle retain their fronts but are curtained-off and those nearer the stage are treated as blind, Art-Deco ornaments. A remarkable continuity of dramatic use on this site is due, not least, to the City Council’s decision in 1967 - in the years of nationwide theatre destruction - to perpetuate that tradition by purchase. The radical works of 1992 provided a new stage house and backstage provisions, enlarged the stage left wing space and impressively refurbished the front of house. The restored 1935 auditorium, while showing the influence of contemporary cinema design, remains essentially a space intended for drama. Refurbishment in 2007 aimed to rationalise and improve access, audience facilities and the external appearance of the theatre. A new extension to the foyers was constructed, linking them to an adjoining building and allowing the theatre frontage to be extended and improved. The foyers were enlarged and re-planned with a new box office, lifts, bars, a restaurant and hospitality rooms and increased toilet provision. The 1300 seat auditorium was upgraded with new seating, improved legroom, better ventilation, new decorations and lighting and better technical installations.